Just curious...... (Houston, Dallas, Plano: relocation, jobs, hospital)

[ladyjay73]

As a potential newcomer to the Dallas area, I am curious to find out why it is that mostly everyone that is relocation is mostly focused on the areas out far north? Plano, Frisco, McKinney, those places seem to be experiencing a lot of newcomers. Alot of great things have been said about these cities. I have to admit that at first I was very interested in McKinney, but have since then changed my mind.

But what about the areas past Dallas going south? They usually don't get talked about alot. If they do get talked about, it's mostly to say that one shouldn't live there. But I am curious as to why?
The area's that I am interested in are Mesquite, Balch Springs, Midlothian, Waxahachie, Red Oak, Ennis, & possibly Cedar Hill. I searched on these boards, & there doesn't seem to be much information about any of them. There are a few comments about Cedar Hill, but hardly anything about the others. Midlothian has a few posts about being not healthy due to the plants that are there, but that's about it.

Is this because these area's are less desirable to live in? I know that the job opportunities in these area's are not the greatest, but it seems to me like most people are up for a commute. I am looking for an area that is great for my children, with a good school district, and a great community feel that's affordable.

Am I missing something? Should I not even consider these areas? I will be visting for a week next month, & would like to see these places.

[2timemom]

We are getting ready to move to the Dallas area and have been searching for a place to live. We want to be near Dallas but not in Dallas. Our oldest son lives in Dallas and I have spoken to a few of his co-workers. Most of them seem to like the areas like Forney, Terrell, Richardson, Plano and Euless.
But my husband and I spent a week in Ennis looking at homes. We drove around in the evening and on the weekend. It is very different from Houston. It has what we are looking for: a community that is family oriented, low crime rate and good schools with affordable housing. Check the internet for the stats.

[pwright1]

Since I might be moving to Dallas or Houston within the next 15 months I checked out Dallas quite a few times. I find living close to downtown Dallas quite appealing for me. The prices are so cheap compared to where I live now. I checked out the suburbs up north and just don't find them appealing at all. Typical suburban living, strip malls, bland subdivsions, fast food joints, and plenty of traffic congestion. To me it looks like Anywhere USA. If I do move to Dallas it will definately be in DALLAS.

[Spree]

For us, the draw is the better school districts and we also want to be in an area that will have resale potential. Distance from work is also a big issue. We would choose Frisco because of it's proximity to the tollway. If it were just hubby and I, we wouldn't feel so confined.

[socketz]

Resale potential (still like SW Frisco and Stonebridge in Mckinney best, but SW Frisco has appreciated alot already)
Better schools
Fantastic communities with great ammenties
Safe
Realistic commute to tech jobs (All exist in Richardson and above, thank our friends at TI)

Personally, I kind of liked Waxahachie when I had a customer down there. Nice place. However, the customer has since moved to Richardson because it was impossible to find Engineers that would commute there. If you can find work down there, it's really not a bad area.

[GoPadge]

I've spent some time in Midlothian, Waxahachie, Red Oak and Ennis. Over all I saw nothing wrong with the areas. All have new developments in progress, and reasonable shopping. (No Neiman Marcus, but you don't have to drive to the next town over to buy groceries either.)

My brother and sister live in Midlothian, and really like the town and the people.

We lived in Milford and did most of our shopping in Waxahachie. The town has a unique small town feel that Dallas and the suburbs north seem to lack. But there is at least shopping outside Wallyworld. Waxahachie has a Belk, JC Penney, Sears Outdoors, Lowes, Home Depot, Target and of course a Walmart.

Red Oak is right on the edge of the Metroplex. And within another 5 - 10 years, it will have blended into Oak Leaf, Glenn Heights and Lancaster.

Ennis is a bit further out, and the race track may help keep the suburbs at bay a bit.

Over all I wouldn't hesitate to recommend those locations, but in this forum, the majority of the visitors are looking for technology jobs or the technically savvy life style that most of those cities don't offer.

[ladyjay73]

Thanks you guys. I was beginning to think that maybe something was wrong with me for liking these areas. Of course I am still basing my opinion on the things that I have read on the internet. We will see how it goes when I visit next month.

2timemom, I am leaning towards Ennis as well. My parents are there, & they love it. They left Washingston state, & have no regrets. They said that there are building several new communities out there & a new regional hospital in that area. Dallas is about 35 miles away. As of right now, Ennis & Waxahachie are my top 2.

GoPadge, what is the issue with the plants in Midlothian? Are they really making people ill?

[2timemom]

ladyjay 73
I am so glad that I am not the only who likes Ennis. Moving from a BIG city like Houston will be quite a change, but we enjoyed ourselves while we were there. we plan on going back this weekend and hopefully sign a contract on a house. Yes there are some new communities being built but they are not overwhelming. I have seen new communities built in Houston and they just seem to take over everthing. Hope you find something in Ennis.

[ladyjay73]

Thanks. I will be there the 2nd week in April, & I will be looking around. I am geting excited. I like the fact that the schools wear uniforms. That's a big plus.

I understand what you mean about having to make an adjustment from a big city. Currently I am in Seattle, WA. & it will be a big adjustment just moving from here. But I think that I am making a good decision.

Good luck to you & your family as well.

[kaykay]

The reason people migrate to the northern suburbs of Dallas rather than the south is primarily to avoid high crime rate in the southern sector! I have lived in southeast Dallas (for about 10 years) and now about 11 years in Plano(northern suburb of Dallas) The difference is like night and day! For those of you moving to this area, I can't warn you strongly enough! Dallas and many of the southern areas, crime is rampant! I don't know much about Ennis or Waxahachie etc. They might be fine, but I warn you many areas in the southern suburbs and Dallas are NOT. We put up with continuing vandalism, petty theft (from the automobiles), cars broken into and almost stolen themselves, etc. etc. The last straw was when I was held up in the grocery store parking lot at gunpoint. (The Dallas police who responded said that the crime was at a level they could not control--that if we didn't like it, we'd have to move. They said even though they worked for Dallas, they both now lived in a suburb of Dallas.) And this is primarily why people move to the so-called cookie cutter, bland NORTHERN suburbs of Dallas! I am sure there are areas in the southern area that are nice and/or safe--especially I would imagine as you get on out some of the smaller towns and more rural areas, but in general, I would move to the northern areas and I've told you why!